


It's Ok (You're in Love)

by ChaoticDemon



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Brienne's oblivious, F/M, Jaime's a dumbass, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:09:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25761136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticDemon/pseuds/ChaoticDemon
Summary: Brienne wants to be Tyrion's champion. Jaime panics.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 34
Kudos: 181
Collections: Jaime x Brienne Fic Exchange 2020





	It's Ok (You're in Love)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EllisJay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllisJay/gifts).



> I hope you like your gift, EllisJay!
> 
> My ADHD was kicking my ass. I spent months trying to write for a different prompt and only got halfway through. Then I switched to this one and managed to hyperfocus, so yay! It's been forever since I watched the episode this takes place in and even longer since I read this bit in the book, so I'm pretty sure my timeline's a bit weird. Let's just say this is an au where Jaime asked Brienne to go find Sansa, but waited a bit to give her the supplies. IDK. Just go with it.
> 
> Title is from "I won't say I'm in love" from Disney's Hercules.

“No,” Jaime blurted out, far too loudly for the small room they were in. The sudden silence seemed to almost echo off the walls. His fingers trembled. He formed his hand into a fist. It didn’t help.

Brienne frowned at him. “What do you mean, ‘no?’” she asked, her bright eyes narrowing.

“I mean,” Jaime started and then paused, struggling to find the words. He wiped his oddly sweaty palm on his trouser leg. He tried again. “I mean, ‘no, you’re not being Tyrion’s champion.’” Was it just him, or was his heart racing?

“Why not?” She stood tall and placed her hands on her hips. “I beat you in combat.”

“Technically,” Jaime heard himself say, “we were interrupted first. And I was definitely winning.”

“I beat you in combat,” Brienne repeated as though Jaime hadn’t said anything. ”I can fight the Mountain.”

Jaime could see it, Brienne facing up against Clegane, her sword drawn and determination in those big, blue eyes of hers. She’d do well, he knew, better than most. But would she do well enough, his mind whispered. His stomach hurt. Why did his stomach hurt? “That doesn’t mean you should,” he told her.

“Then who?” she asked him expectantly. She waited a moment. Then another. “We wouldn’t even be having this conversation if there was someone else willing to do it.”

That was true, unfortunately. “Why do you even want to be Tyrion’s champion?” he asked, changing tactics.

Brienne’s face was distinctly disappointed. “Do you think he killed Joffrey?” She asked.

Jaime stiffened. “Of course not,” he told her. “I know they didn’t exactly get along, but Tyrion’s never been one for murder.”

Brienne huffed. “Then isn’t defending an innocent person from an unfair execution a good enough reason?” Her expression softened. “Besides, I know how much he means to you, Jaime.” She tentatively reached out and put her hand gently on his shoulder.

Jaime’s stomach squirmed unpleasantly. Oh. Oh no. His knees felt weak. He forced himself to take a few quick steps backward until he could sit heavily in the chair behind him. He stared up at her helplessly.

“Jaime?” she asked softly after a moment, hand falling back to her side. She bit her lip. Jaime’s eyes followed the motion and he groaned, burying his head in his arms as best he could. “Jaime?” she asked again, more uncertainly. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” he lied. The bear pit, yelling at Loras, the letter he’d had Tommen sign. Everything made much more sense now. He wondered how he could have possibly missed it before. He wondered how many others had managed to figure it out before he had. 

“Is it really so awful that I might try to save your brother’s life?” Brienne asked quietly, hurt.

Jaime looked up at her, taking all of her in light of this new realization. Yes, he thought to himself, this was definitely why his stomach hurt. Unbidden, he reached out and grasped one of her hands in his. “If Tyrion has a different champion and they fail, I just lose Tyrion. If you’re his champion and you fail…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish. He thought of Elia and her children, and what Clegane had done to them.

Brienne squeezed his hand. “I just won’t fail, then.”

Jaime considered it for a long moment. Nope, he thought. Absolutely not. “What about Sansa Stark?” he asked.

Brienne drew her hand back and Jaime only just managed to keep himself from reaching out to her. “I think if anyone might have an idea of where Sansa’s gone,” she said slowly, “it’s probably her husband, and he can’t very well tell me anything if he’s dead.” Jaime nodded dumbly. “Besides,” she continued, “I’d need supplies before I started, and that could take some time.”

“Right,” Jaime agreed, already plotting. “You’re still not fighting for him.” Brienne scowled fiercely at him. “Please,” he asked her, rising to his feet, “please let this idea go. We’ll find a different champion for Tyrion. It just can’t be you.” She didn’t look convinced. Unthinkingly, he reached out and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I don’t think I could bear it if something happened to you,” he told her before he realized what he was doing. She flushed deeply and he had to force himself to remove his hand before he could trace the way it slowly spread across her cheeks.

They stared at one another for a long moment. He drank in her crooked nose, the splay of freckles across her face, the way her blush dipped beneath her collar. He swallowed heavily, remembering their bath back at Harrenhal, and tucked it all away in his mind for later, just in case.

Brienne’s shoulders fell. “Alright,” she agreed with obvious reluctance. “I won’t be his champion. Not as long as you can find someone else who’s willing.” 

Something deep inside Jaime released and he felt all the tension flee his body. “Thank you,” he told her. She smiled at him and he felt oddly off balance. “Wench,” he added. Her smile morphed into a scowl. He grinned brightly at her, already feeling better.

A part of him still worried for Tyrion, for the little brother that no one seemed to want to defend, but at the very least he could make sure that Brienne wouldn’t be involved. “A drink?” he asked cheerfully, gesturing in the direction of the door. 

Brienne stared at him for a long moment. “Alright,” she said slowly, “and then we can talk more about how you’re obviously planning on keeping me from defending Tyrion if no one else volunteers.”

Jaime stiffened momentarily before relaxing. His grin grew wider. “As you wish,” he said, holding out his arm to escort her. “My Lady?”

Brienne looked at his arm, then his face, and then his arm again. She snorted. “No,” she told him before she turned and walked toward the door.

Jaime frowned. “‘No?’” he asked, taking large steps to catch up to her. “What do you mean ‘no?’”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Brienne contemplates being Tyrion's champion which forces Jaime to realize that he has feelings.


End file.
